Popular facial masks against acne

The face mask against acne is not only a best cure of acne but it also cleans your skin pores and maintains the tightness and texture of skin. When you find the mask recipe that works well with your skin, it can help to clear and soothe your skin. Here I offer the most popular facial masks for skin with acne. Try one or several of these masks to see how your skin responds to the treatment. When you find a mask that your skin really seems to respond well to, try using it one or two times a week to see improvements.

Baking Soda Mask
There are only two ingredients in this homemade acne mask; one is baking soda and second is water. Make a mixture of baking soda and water, after washing your face with any cleaner; gently apply this mask on your skin. After applying the mask stay relax for up to 20 minutes. Then wash your face and you will feel the softness and clarity of skin. And if your skin feels good with this acne homemade mask treatment, try it twice a week to clean your acne.

Egg White Mask
This is simple and quite frugal. All you need to do is separate the yolk from the egg whites. Then whip the egg whites until it becomes soft and frothy. Apply it to your clean face (using clean hands). Leave on for approximately 20 minutes and wash off with warm water. If you are allergic from egg, then don’t use it.

Egg Yolk Mask
The use of vitamin A against acne scarring is best treatment, and the yolk of egg contains it. Simply whip the yolk of egg and apply it on your skin. Leave it to at least 20 minutes and relaxed your skin mussels. Then wash off.

Acne Tonic with Basil
To make this homemade face mask, you need 3 teaspoons of dried basil leaves and boiling water. Steep basil leaves in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Cool, then apply to face with a white cotton ball.

Sea Salt or Table Salt Mask
Swim in the ocean (or buy sea salt and make a mask). Or just gently wash with salt & water mixed.

Oatmeal Mask
Blend some oatmeal with water and gently spread it onto your skin. Leave it until it dries (10-15 minutes). This mask is gentle and safe.

Apple&Honey; Acne Mask
You need 1 medium apple and 4 tablespoons honey. Mix together the grated apple and honey. Smooth over your clean skin and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse gently with warm water and moisturize as usual. This mask is good for oily skin that has a tendancy to break out.

Protective masks for hair

In summer you should always think about sun safety. And not only skin protection but hair protection also. The combination of sun, salt water and chlorine will suck moisture out of the healthiest head of hair - coloured hair is especially susceptible. A hat is still your best option for protecting your locks (and face) from the drying effects of summer.
When swimming in salt or chlorinated water, wet your hair with tap water before you swim. Hair is like a sponge, there is only so much water it can absorb. The wetter your hair before you swim, the less salt water and chlorine it will absorb.
Use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week. This will detox the hair of chlorine, salt, minerals and styling product build up. Clarifying shampoos also help prevent blonde hair turning green.

To protect your hair or treat hair suffered from sun, you should make a special mask every week. Here you’ll find such masks for any type of hairs.
For normal hair. Mix 1 yolk with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon cheery juice. Put the mixture on the hair and keep for 20 minutes. Then wash head with warm water.
For dry hair. Mix 1 tablespoon cucumber juice, 1 tablespoon onion juice and ½ tablespoon almond oil. Rub into head skin and hair. In 5 minutes wash head with soft shampoo.
For greasy hair. Put 2 tablespoons bran, 2 tablespoons grinded leaves of mint and ½ tablespoons grinded leaves of lemon-balm into 1 liter of boiling water, close and boil on the light fire for 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil 5 minutes more. Then filter the decoction and use it for head washing instead of shampoo. Rub decoction into head skin and keep for 2-3 minutes. Then wash with warm water and rinse cool water.

Sun safety tips

Sure many people love the summer sun. The sun's rays make us feel good, and in the short term, make us look good. Sunlight helps our bodies create vitamin D. Of course, it's impossible to avoid the sun — who wants to hide indoors when it feels so great to get outside and be active? But our love affair isn't a two way street. Exposure to sun causes most of the wrinkles and age spots on our faces and is the number one cause of skin cancer.

In fact, sun exposure causes most of the skin changes that we think of as a normal part of aging. Over time, the sun's ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers breakdown, the skin begins to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching. The skin also bruises and tears more easily -- taking longer to heal. So while sun damage to the skin may not be apparent when you're young, it will definitely show later in life.

Dermatologists recommend sun protection, which includes but is not limited to regular use of sunscreen, for all their patients, including those with acne. Research shows that most cases of skin cancer can be prevented with sun protection. Sun protection also can help prevent sunburn in patients using topical retinoids, which increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Nothing can completely undo sun damage, although the skin can sometimes repair itself. So, it's never too late to begin protecting yourself from the sun. Follow these tips to help prevent sun-related skin problems.

• Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, even if it's cloudy or you don't plan on spending a lot of time outdoors. If you sweat a lot or go swimming, reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours (even if the bottle says the sunscreen is waterproof).

• Choose a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Look for the words "broad spectrum protection" or UVA protection in addition to the SPF of 15 or greater. Select a sunscreen that says "nonacnegenic" or "noncomedogenic" on the label to help keep pores clear.

• The sun's rays are strongest between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, so make sure you reapply sunscreen frequently and take breaks indoors if you can. If your shadow is longer than you are tall, then it's a safer time to be in the sun (you should still wear sunscreen, though).

• We all know that the sun can damage skin, but did you know it can contribute to eye problems, too? Protect your face and eyes with a hat and sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection.

• Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds causes skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

• Wear protective clothing. A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection for your eyes, ears, face, and the back or your neck. Sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection will greatly reduce eye damage from sun exposure. Tightly woven, loose fitting clothes will provide additional protection from the sun.
• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

• Use shade wisely. Seek shade when UV rays are the most intense, but keep in mind that shade structures such as trees, umbrellas or canopies do not offer complete sun protection. Remember the shadow rule: "Watch your shadow – Short shadow, seek shade!"

Keep in mind the qualities of your skin type to provide better sun protection:
Type I: Very fair skin, freckling; blonde, red, or brown hair. Always burns easily. Never tans.
Type II: Fair skin; blond, red or brown hair. Always burns easily. Tans minimally.
Type III: Brown hair and eyes. Burns moderately. Tans gradually and uniformly to a light brown color.
Type IV: Light brown skin. Dark hair and eyes. Burns minimally. Always tans well to a moderate brown.
Type V: Brown skin. Dark eyes and hair. Rarely burns, tans profusely to a dark brown.
Type VI: Brown-black skin. Dark eyes and hair. Never burns. Deeply pigmented.

Summer fruits and berries for skin care

In summer vitamin cosmetic masks from fresh berries and fruits are very useful. Fruit masks have cleansing, bleaching and dewy effects. But don’t forget about mixing prepared mask with sour cream or cream in equal proportions to diminish fruit acids’ action. All masks, I offer today, are easy to do and to use.

Lemon mask for dry skin. Take a teaspoon greasy cream and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice by drops, then add ½ teaspoon of mayonnaise. Put prepared mixture on the face for 20-25 minutes and then clean with cleansing tonic.

Pear mask will help you to constrict pores and to clean and moisten face skin. Put pear sauce on the face and décolleté and keep for 15-20 minutes. Then wash with cool water.

Apple mask freshens and rejuvenates skin. Grate peeled apple and add 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil, sour cream or cream. Put on the face and neck and then wash with cool water.

Banana mask cleanses greasy skin very well. Knead one banana and mix it with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Put mask on the face for 15-20 minutes and then wash with cool water.

Grapefruit mask smoothes wrinkles and nourishes skin. Mix 2 tablespoons grapefruit with 1 tablespoon bran and 1 tablespoon cream. Put mask on the face for 20-30 minutes and then wash with warm water.

Plum mask for normal skin. Knead plum and add ½ teaspoon olive or almond oil and 1 teaspoon cream.

Quince mask freshens and tones up skin. Grate quince and mix with 2 tea-spoons cream. Put on the face.

Orange mask for any type of skin. Take juice of one orange and add 2 teaspoons honey. Put mask on the face for 10 minutes and then wash with cool water.

Pomegranate mask for any type of skin. Take juice of half a pomegranate, ½ teaspoon olive oil, 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon honey, 3 tablespoons oaten flakes and mix everything.

Cranberry mask for greasy skin. Mix 1 teaspoon potato flour with 1 teaspoon cranberry juice and egg-white. Put mixture on the face for 15-20 minutes and then wash with cool water.

Blackberry mask for dry skin. Knead some blackberries, add 1 teaspoon cream or sour cream and mix with 1 teaspoon honey. Put mixture on the face for 15-20 minutes and then wash with cool water.